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Dale Johnson was engaged and friend said she'll remember him as "quirky" and "funny"

Pierrette J. Shields

Posted:
03/06/2013 11:43:21 PM MST

Updated:
03/07/2013 06:26:32 PM MST

Dale Johnson, 21, is pictured in a photo from his Facebook profile with his white Pontiac Grand Prix in August. Johnson died Wednesday when a driver police believe was high on methamphetamine crashed an Altima into Johnson's car in the intersection of 17th Avenue and Main Street. (Facebook.com)
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LONGMONT -- A 21-year-old Longmont man who died Wednesday night when his car was struck by a driver police said was likely high on meth will be remembered as quirky, funny and always ready to talk, one of his friends said on Thursday.

Sarah Johnson, who attended a post-high school education program with Dale Johnson, said her friend was working hard to turn his life around and getting ready to marry his fiance, Morgan Buchalla.

"He could have been a wonderful husband," she said, noting that she is not related to him.

Friends learned of Johnson's death on Thursday, and a memorial started to develop at the intersection where his Pontiac Grand Prix was struck.

Dale Johnson, 21, is shown in a Facebook profile photo dated September 2011. According to police, he was killed on March 6, 2013, when his white Grand Prix was struck in the intersection of 17th Avenue and Main Street by a driver fleeing police. (Facebook.com)
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In a photo on Dale Johnson's Facebook page, he stands in front of the car in August. Friends offered him congratulations on buying it. His profile also notes his engagement to Buchalla since May 2011.

According to police, Johnson was killed when a man who was likely under the influence of meth fled from police and struck Johnson's car in the intersection of 17th Avenue and Main Street, according to Longmont Police Cmdr. Jeff Satur.

Longmont resident Pablo Bustillos, 35, was arrested at the scene.

"Bustillos has a significant criminal and driving history," Longmont Police Sgt. Doug Ross said in a press release Thursday morning. He was also wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant for a parole violation, police reported. Court records show that Bustillos was also wanted on an outstanding felony menacing warrant out of Adams County.

Bustillos was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault causing serious bodily injury, vehicular eluding, driving under the influence of drugs and several other traffic charges.

He told police he did not stop for the officer because he "had gone to prison for selling drugs here in Longmont." He told the officer he was no longer selling, just using. Officers recovered a vial of methamphetamine from one of the passengers in Bustillo's car, according to his arrest report.

According to police, a Longmont officer attempted to stop Bustillo's Nissan Altima on suspicion of failing to remain in a designated lane near on Collyer Street near 10th Avenue, but the car sped north on Collyer to 19th Avenue. Bustillos turned back through the neighborhood and ended up traveling west on 17th Avenue, according to Sgt. Garrett Boden. The officer who initially tried to stop the Altima did not give chase, according to police, but it continued to flee at high speeds as officers tried to keep track of it through the area.

Bustillo's car entered the intersection at 17th Avenue at Main Street, running a red light, and struck Johnson's white Grand Prix, police report. Boden said witnesses gave conflicting statements regarding which direction on Main Street the Pontiac was traveling when it was struck, but investigators who worked until 3:30 a.m. determined it was traveling north on Main Street

Pablo Bustillos (
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Police said that both passengers in Bustillo's vehicle were seriously injured. A 23-year-old woman was airlifted to Denver Health, and a 24-year-old woman was taken to Longmont United Hospital for treatment, according to Satur. A dog in Bustillo's car was taken to the Animal Emergency Hospital and was treated and released. The women and dog are all expected to survive, according to police.

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